The Northern Kentucky University Police Department has issued a campus crime alert after a student reported a sexual assault in a parking lot on the Highland Heights campus on Feb. 15.

According to the original Feb. 16 alert, the student reported that a man approached her in Lot I as she was walking to her car from Steely Library at about 8:00 p.m. The man covered her mouth and eyes with his hand and began putting his hand up her shirt. The victim was able to get away by punching the man in the face and securing herself in her parked vehicle.

UPDATE: In a separate update to the crime alert on Feb. 17, the NKU Police reclassified the incident as one of harassment and said the complaining witness changed her story.

“Due to the victim having time to think about the incident, she remembered more facts that changed the incident to harassment rather than a sexual abuse incident. The victim stated that the subject did not try to put his hand under her shirt. The victim thinks the subject that grabbed her mistook her for someone else and does not feel that he intended to cause her harm,” the update read.

The suspect is still at large, although it is not clear if he is still wanted. He is described as a thin, white male, that is 6″1′ and smelled heavily of cigarette smoke. NKU Police are investigating and anyone with information on this incident should call them right away at 859-572-5500.

NKU Police Chief Jason Willis said that the perceived attack was not caught on any of the university’s security cameras.

“We are reviewing tapes of the adjacent buildings around there and seeing if anyone matches the description,” he added.

Prior to the released update on the campus incident, Willis said the investigation is ongoing and they have no reason to believe the alleged victim’s claims are unfounded. He said he remains hopeful that NKU Police will solve the case.

The reporting party is described as an out-of-state student living in University Suites. She was not injured during the alleged attack.

Click here to read a copy of the report filed with NKU Police.

Stay with The Northerner for more information on this story.

Story by Jesse Call